§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that, at the recent quarterly meeting of the Lewis district committee, the chairman stated that there were at present cotters and squatters in the Island of Lewis, representing with their families a population of 7,200, who held no house or land, and paid no local or other rates, this number being nearly one-third of the whole population in the landward part of Lewis; and will he state what action he proposes to take to improve the condition of these landless people, the majority of 1666 whom are the sons or grandsons of evicted crofters.
§ MR. SINCLAIRI accept the statement of facts from my hon. friend, and the subject is under consideration, though I am not able to make any further statement at present.